This question seems simple enough, right? All you need to do is wrap your mala around your neck. And although this answer is technically true, there are different ways to wear mala depending on its type and length.
For instance, you cannot wear wrist mala bracelets on your neck now, can you? Similarly, although you can technically wear a mala necklace around your wrist, it will be a bit too loose without the proper technique. Along with this, there are different types of Necklaces as well. While we are familiar with regular beaded necklaces, did you know there are groups of necklaces called Lariat Necklaces?
So you see, although this question of “How to wear a Mala?” sounds simple; it is not. But before getting there, should you even wear a beaded mala? Are there any specific reasons why you should wear beaded mala? Besides this, is there any appropriate time to wear a beaded mala?
Well, we are here to answer all these questions for you today. So without any further ado, let’s get started with our first question.
Why should you wear mala?
The first answer that comes to your mind if you are not of a religious mind is – to look good. And this answer is perfectly valid. Most people who wear mala and wrist mala bracelets are for fashion. After all, you have a wide range of prayer beads to choose from, they are affordable, and you can even customize your own mala since the best wholesalers like Nirvana Mala offer you loose Mala prayer beads to customize your own set of necklaces.
But besides the looks, there are a few more reasons why you should wear mala. Some of the major ones include:
1) Reduces Stress
If you practice Japa Mala Meditation, we don’t need to tell you why and how mala reduces stress. They provide calming aesthetic energy around you that aids you in calming down. Furthermore, depending on the type of prayer beads, mala gemstones, and knots used, this calming effect can pile on with the effect of beaded mala.
A beaded mala can aid you in reducing your Stress regardless of if you are a religious / spiritual person or not. In the same vein of thoughts, necklaces and wrist mala bracelets can reduce your Stress even if you are not into meditation. They are great fiddle toys; you can play with the beads to reduce stress and anxiety.
2) Health Benefit
A healthy mind is the core of a healthy body. As the stress level in your life reduces, your health will get a subtle but stable boost. Along with the side benefit of boosted health from reduced Stress, you can also get the added subtle boost in your health from the beads in the beaded mala necklaces. Depending on the type of beads and mala gemstones in the beaded necklace, you can even be blessed by the lords, especially if the bead is directly related to the lords, such as rudraksha beads and bodhi beads.
Furthermore, suppose you have a brass or bronze bead. In that case, you can also get a bit of antibacterial affinity since copper alloys such as brass and bronze are scientifically known to have small antibacterial properties.
3) Enhanced Meditation and Cognitive benefits
This is one of the best and most obvious benefits of wearing mala and wrist mala bracelets. The primary purpose of necklaces and wrist mala bracelets is to aid you in your meditation. Now, if you want to know how to use mala for meditation, we have covered this along with some more benefits of wearing a beaded necklace in our article, where we provide a quick guide about beaded mala.
Although there are many other reasons for wearing mala and wrist necklaces, the three that we mentioned above, along with mala prayer bracelets and necklaces being a good fashion accessory, are the top ones.
Now, let’s move on to the second question-
When should you wear Beaded Mala Necklaces and Wrist Mala Bracelets?
We will keep this one short because there is no specific answer to this. The shortest answer is that you can wear beaded necklaces and wrist mala whenever possible. There is no religious or cultural barrier preventing you from wearing mala. However, some of the most appropriate occasions to wear them are:
- Meditation
- Yoga
- Ritual Activity
- Traveling
The reasons for these occasions being the best time to wear a necklace are the same as the ones we mentioned above; it’s an aid in meditation, and it’s the ability to reduce stress besides being a great fashion accessory.
And now, let’s answer our first question –
How do you wear mala?
As we said earlier, the answer to this question depends on the type of mala and your fashion sense. The good news is that you can easily customize your beaded necklace and wrist mala. Now, since wrist mala are simply bracelets, it is quite simple to wear them. All you need to do is wrap them around your wrist, and boom – you are done. However, when it comes to beaded mala, the question of how to wear them becomes an issue since some beaded mala can be long and loose. So how should you wear them? Well, here are five ways to wear your beaded mala.
1) Short Necklace Choker
This is a modern way to wear a beaded necklace. To wear a necklace in this style, you simply wrap the necklace around your neck twice and reduce the overall length of the mala. It would resemble a modern choker when you wear it – with a traditional twist.
2) Long Necklace
A long necklace is a basic and traditional way to wear a necklace. You simply wear the mala on your neck without any form of customization. This is the generally accepted way to wear a necklace.
3) Wrap Bracelet
Did you know that you can wear a mala necklace as a bracelet? All you need to do is wrap the necklace around your wrist roughly four times. The bracelet formed in this way should be a bit loose, and this way of transforming a necklace into a bracelet is generally preferred for necklaces with large beads.
4) Double-wrap bracelet
Similar to the wrap bracelet method of wearing a mala, you wrap it around your wrist. But unlike wrap mala, where you simply wrap the bracelet, you need to hold the guru bead before you start to wrap. You can either let the guru bead hang loose or push it through one of the loops.
5) Lariat
To wear the mala necklace in a Lariat, you will need to customize your mala necklace. You must hook the guru bead through the first loop and attach the tassel to the last loop.
6) Long Lariat
Similar to the Lariat, you will need a customizable mala. To wear a necklace in a long lariat, you simply need to hook the end of your necklace near your neck (similar to the length of a choker style wearing a mala necklace).
In the end,
So how should you wear a beaded necklace? The simplest answer is “as you see fit“. You are free to customize your mala necklace and wear it as you see fit. The methods we mentioned here are among the most popular ways to wear beaded necklaces. Regardless of why you are wearing your mala, you can always wear it as you wish.
We hope you found this helpful. And as always, thank you for reading till the end.
FAQ
Q: Which wrist should a mala be worn on?
A: You can wear mala prayer beads on both wrists. However, wearing mala beads on the right wrist is generally preferred.
Q: Can I wear mala beads all the time?
A: Yes, you can. Although many spiritual and meditation practitioners wear mala beads only when they are performing rituals or meditation, nothing stops you from wearing prayer beads all the time.
Q: Can we wear Japa Mala on the neck?
A: Yes, you can. In fact, wearing Japa mala on the neck is the generally preferred way.
Q: Can we wear Japa Mala on our wrists?
A: Yes, you can. You can wear Japa mala on your wrist by either using the wrap method or the double-wrap bracelet method.